America's Soldier

Not Dead

I wake up.

I'm... not dead.

It seems like I'm in a hospital room. I look around, and see Sam to my right. 

Wow. He's really beautiful. He's just sitting and reading, but the harsh hospital light somehow just makes him more stunning. I smile.

"Hey, we didn't die."

He turns at the sound of my voice, and to say he looks relieved is an understatement. He looks like he was given life again.

He gets up and comes over to me. Leaning over my bed, he kisses me.

If the kiss with Steve was one of pain, this is one of healing. I feel complete when our lips meet, and I never want him to let me go. This is what I've been waiting for for longer than I think I realized.

"Hey, Buck," he replies once he finally steps back. "Don't ever nearly bleed out by the Potomac again, please."

"I'll keep that in mind. Less near-death experiences in the future, okay?"

"Yes. How are you feeling?"

"Like I got shot a few times. Tired, achy. I'm fine, Sam. How about you an the others? Are all of you alright?"

"We're all alive. I ended up killing Rumlow. Nat revealed all of SHIELD and HYDRA's dirty secrets to the world. Tony is a little busted up, but he's alive. He'll heal. Nick came and personally visited you here."

Everyone survived. The plan worked. The helecarriers were destroyed, Rumlow's out of the equation...

"...Pierce?"

"In custody. Your plan was amazing, Buck."

"How bad is Tony?"

"He got shot in the arm and beaten up, and there's some hearing damage from him having guns fired right next to his head, but he'll heal, and I'm sure the man can invent machines that make his ears better than they used to be."

"Steve?"

"Gone. Vanished. You need to rest, Buck. You slept for a couple days."

I nod. Then I notice bandages on the crooks of Sam's elbows.

"One more thing. Your arms..."

He looks down and his eyes widen in realization.

"Oh. Oh, yeah. You needed a blood transfusion, I'm a universal donor, so they took some of my blood for you."

"You saved my life."

He smiles, and I could swear he's blushing.

"I mean, the doctors did most of the work..."

I kiss his hand and look up at him.

"Thank you, Sam."

He kisses my hand back, and that's enough of an answer for me.

***

I heal up eventually. Sam's there for me every step of the way, through the physical therapy for my legs and my slow integration back into normal life.

I've lost my job at the gym, for good reason, but that's alright. I don't plan on staying in town for much longer. I break the news to Sam at his place.

"Let me get this straight," he says, "You're leaving on SHIELD's money to go find Steve? Do you have any idea where he went?"

"Not yet," I reply, "But I can't lose him again. Not after seventy years of thinking he was dead."

Sam nods.

"Okay. On one condition."

"No. You can't leave your whole life behind for me."

"Buck. I'm not letting you go alone, and you're going to need help. If you don't let me come with you, I'm going to follow you anyway, and that'll just be a pain for both of us."

He isn't going to change his mind. I've known him long enough to figure that out.

"Fine. You can come."

It's going to be good to have a partner in all of this. I don't say that out loud, but I hope Sam knows it. 

"Love you, Buck."

"Love you, too."

He knows it.